Choosing the perfect name for your cottage is key in creating a memorable and inviting atmosphere, especially when considering different uses like Airbnb rentals or company retreats. Here are 10 unique and essential tips to guide you through the process:

This is a great place to try your hand at some traditional countryside pursuits! As well as the Cowdray Park Polo Club, which hosts the ‘Gold Cup’ (one of the highlights of the Polo calendar) every year in July – Cowdray also offers a Polo Academy. Why not take a once in a lifetime chance to have a go at the ‘sport of kings’ for yourself? Clay Pigeon shooting is also available on the Cowdray Estate. The Cowdray Estate just outside Midhurst has a wonderful farm shop, café, and even a woodfired oven that offers takeaway pizzas. Petworth also has a brilliant deli, the Hungry Guest, which provides excellent takeaway coffee, bread from its own bakery, and even ready meals. Lauren Moakes was the narrator, and her smooth, honeyed speech was well suited to this story and added to my enjoyment. There are whispers all throughout this book, least of all in the small minds of villagers whose gossip ends up being a form of Chinese whispers where what begins as one thing ends up something completely different! So the whispers of the past and the whispers of the villagers become the whispers in her own mind. And as Stina begins to question her own sanity she also starts to wonder just who her neighbour really is. Not so good points: To be honest, I don't have any negative to say. I liked the characters, even old Mrs Barley. Although she was pretty weird.Whisper Cottage is a slow burner. Clark takes her time in setting the scene, but I liked the way she did this, sewing little and seemingly inconsequential seeds of doubt that niggle like a burr caught in your clothing that you just can't find to remove. Remember, your cottage's name sets the tone for the entire experience, whether it's a weekend escape or a transformative company retreat. By blending creativity with practicality, you'll craft a name that resonates with your target audience and makes your cottage truly stand out. Also, many of the untoward incidents which were projected as Mrs. Bailey’s doing resolved without proper reasoning and a decent closure. I liked how chilling Clark makes the narrative. There are plenty of clues that would suggest Mrs Barley is a witch and I loved how Stina tries to argue logic, despite the evidence she has seen. Visiting her neighbour, Stina finds trinkets and odd ornaments in Mrs Barley’s living room. Coupled with the fact that people seem to get poorly if Mrs Barley has taken a dislike to them, well, I was expecting there to be a chapter featuring Mrs Barley stirring a cauldron!

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book. The opening chapter is set in 1964, and gives no clue as to who is involved. This doesn't become apparent until later in the book. For a more sedate countryside experience, choose a section of the 100-mile long South Downs Way to walk or cycle, and enjoy the Sussex landscape at it’s very best – or choose walks from your door in Lodsworth that run through woodland and fields and boast some stunning views of the South Downs and Rother Valley.

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I didn't expect the last third of the book....but the story worked. It's enjoyable when a story goes in an unexpected direction, especially when it's better than what I thought was going to happen! The audio is about 9.5 hours long and narrated by Lauren Moakes. Moakes does a great job of voice acting. She reads at a nice pace and brings the characters to life. Very enjoyable listening experience! Evoke Emotions: Choose words that evoke feelings of comfort, relaxation, or adventure. Think about how you want your guests to feel during their stay and weave those emotions into the name. Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Overall, an enjoyable book that I wished had more oomph in the middle. But it did entertain and had me guessing. I love trying to figure a book out and had a few guesses about how things would turn out. I was wrong and was pleasantly surprised at how tings unfolded at the end.

Yet, Clark doesn’t fully invest in this narrative which I thought was a real shame. There is so much emphasis on the possibility of the supernatural that I did not want it to be explained by reason and logic. I thought this omission was a bit disappointing because of how many spooky and inexplicable events that occur as a result of interacting with Stina’s neighbour. Indeed, the death of one of the characters in the story felt so connected to Mrs Barley that I wanted my supernatural hunger to be fulfilled… but it never really came. Petworth is a small town, but brims with culture. Petworth Park House has an outstanding art collection, and there are numerous other small galleries selling traditional and contemporary art and sculpture in and around the town. The Petworth Literary Festival is another highlight, which always boasts some well-known names. Whisper Cottage by Anne Wyn Clark is a psychological thriller that is full of surprises, twists, and turns. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, Whisper Cottage will not disappoint.